Xinhua, May 31, 2005

Yangon, Myanmar -- Buddhist masters of China and Myanmar on Monday stressed the promotion of friendship and expressed wishes to jointly enhance the cause of Buddhism in the world and promote world peace.

The remarks were made when a visiting Chinese Buddhist delegation, led by the Most Venerable Sheng Hui, vice-president of the Buddhist Association of China, met with Venerable Ayiyar Biwansa, vice-president of the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee of Myanmar.

The two masters also expressed wishes to further strengthen theexchange between the Buddhist circle and develop the "paukphaw" ( fraternal) friendship between the Buddhist followers and the peoples of the two countries.

Sheng Hui said in order to promote world peace, Buddhist circles of China, Japan and South Korea have proposed to hold a Buddhism Forum in Beijing in 2006. He invited Myanmar counterparts to take part in the event.

On the same day, Myanmar Minister of Religious Affairs Brigadier-General Thura Myint Maung met with the Chinese Buddhist delegation, who had visited the Shwedagon Pagoda and the World Peace Pagoda in Yangon.

The Chinese Buddhist delegation arrived here last Friday on a five-day visit to Myanmar and will proceed to Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia after Yangon trip on Tuesday.

The Buddhist circles of China and Myanmar have maintained active exchanges in the past years. As one of the significant moves, the Buddha's tooth relic of China was conveyed to Myanmar for three times in 1955, 1994 and 1996 for Myanmar Buddhists to pay homage.